17 Profound Quotes From The Dalai Lama That Will Make You Realize That Kindness and Compassion is the Only Answer

The Dalai Lama is one of the most inspirational spiritual teachers living today. From the age of 16, he was inducted with enormous responsibility in the face of political issues in Tibet.

Yet despite the pressure, he has handled himself in the best possible manner by helping countless numbers of people change their lives for the better.

His philosophy on life is remarkable because it emphasizes compassion and kindness above all other traits. It’s these virtues that lead to a fulfilling and peaceful life, according to the Dalai Lama.

So in times like these where everyone seems so divided, I thought who better to look to than the Dalai Lama for words of wisdom.

Below, I’ve collated some of his most powerful quotes on living a compassionate life with love and kindness.

On hope

“There is a saying in Tibetan, ‘Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.’
No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that’s our real disaster.”

“Hard times build determination and inner strength. Through them we can also come to appreciate the uselessness of anger. Instead of getting angry nurture a deep caring and respect for troublemakers because by creating such trying circumstances they provide us with invaluable opportunities to practice tolerance and patience.”

How to wake up

“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”

On love and compassion

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”

“This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness.”

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

“I believe compassion to be one of the few things we can practice that will bring immediate and long-term happiness to our lives. I’m not talking about the short-term gratification of pleasures like sex, drugs or gambling (though I’m not knocking them), but something that will bring true and lasting happiness. The kind that sticks.”

“A truly compassionate attitude toward others does not change even if they behave negatively or hurt you.”

On relationships

“Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.”

Why worry?

“If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.”

Don’t judge

“People take different roads seeking fulfilment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.”

Your enemies

“If you can cultivate the right attitude, your enemies are your best spiritual teachers because their presence provides you with the opportunity to enhance and develop tolerance, patience and understanding.”

On world peace

“World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.”

We should be more like children

“Look at children. Of course they may quarrel, but generally speaking they do not harbor ill feelings as much or as long as adults do. Most adults have the advantage of education over children, but what is the use of an education if they show a big smile while hiding negative feelings deep inside? Children dont usually act in such a manner. If they feel angry with someone, they express it, and then it is finished. They can still play with that person the following day.”

On the real you

“There is only one important point you must keep in your mind and let it be your guide. No matter what people call you, you are just who you are. Keep to this truth. You must ask yourself how is it you want to live your life. We live and we die, this is the truth that we can only face alone. No one can help us, not even the Buddha. So consider carefully, what prevents you from living the way you want to live your life?”

Don’t think about yourself too much

“If we think only of ourselves, forget about other people, then our minds occupy very small area. Inside that small area, even tiny problem appears very big. But the moment you develop a sense of concern for others, you realize that, just like ourselves, they also want happiness; they also want satisfaction. When you have this sense of concern, your mind automatically widens. At this point, your own problems, even big problems, will not be so significant. The result? Big increase in peace of mind. So, if you think only of yourself, only your own happiness, the result is actually less happiness. You get more anxiety, more fear.”

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